Evaporator for a refrigerator

ABSTRACT

An evaporator for a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator, includes at least one refrigerant channel and at least one plate. The plate has a receptacle, arranged in a space defined by the refrigerant channel, for positioning a tube. The receptacle is formed by at least one projection, which forms a longitudinal guide of the tube. The projection is formed on the at least one plate and defines a channel having a channel wall upon which the tube bears at least partially in a longitudinal direction. The tube is, for example, a protective tube for a temperature sensor.

The invention relates to an evaporator for a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator, comprising at least one plate and at least one refrigerant channel, through which the refrigerant circulates during use. The invention also relates to a refrigerator, in particular a domestic refrigerator.

Evaporator plates are known from the prior art. For example, in this case there is at least one double-layered plate, the two plate layers being connected together by rolling or similar methods. By specific methods, however, channels may be stamped or “inflated” between the two plate layers. In this manner, a suitable pattern consisting of refrigerant channels, the so-called “channel pattern” may be incorporated in the plate. If the plate layers are connected together by rolling, the plates are also referred to as roll-bond plates.

For various reasons, it may be necessary to fasten a tube to an evaporator, for example a protective tube for a temperature sensor, or a tubular temperature sensor. In the prior art, such tubes are fastened by bonding, combined with further additional retaining parts for fixing to a plate. Also the use of clamps for screwing the tube onto the plate is already known. This requires several operating steps, however.

The object of the invention, therefore, is to provide an evaporator comprising a plate, to which a tube may be permanently fastened in a simple manner. This object is achieved according to the invention by the features of claim 1. Preferred embodiments of the invention are set forth in the subclaims.

According to the invention, the plate has a receptacle for positioning the tube, which receptacle is formed by at least one projection which forms a longitudinal guide of the tube on the at least one plate, along which said tube is held. The position of the tube is secured by the longitudinal guide, and the tube may be pressed against the projection during fastening, so that during fastening it is not able to slip on the plate. In this manner, the fastening of the tube to the plate is considerably simplified.

Preferably, the longitudinal guide is formed by at least one channel stamped into the plate, the tube bearing at least partially against the channel wall thereof in the longitudinal direction. Such a channel may be part of the at least one refrigerant channel, or even a channel specifically designed as a receptacle for positioning the tube. The channel may be stamped into the plate or, as is usual in roll-bond plates, “inflated” between two plate layers. The channel preferably has in the longitudinal direction at least partially the same shape as the tube, which bears against the channel wall thereof—preferably both are approximately straight at least on the portion where they bear against one another.

For forming the longitudinal guide, currently two preferred embodiments are conceivable: according to a first embodiment the longitudinal guide is formed by a channel into which a recess extending in the longitudinal direction of the channel is stamped, and in which the tube is at least partially supported in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, a channel is provided, for example, the shape thereof corresponding to that of the tube. Said channel is, for example, initially formed as an elongate, raised portion on one side of the plate. Along the slope of the raised portion an elongate, stamped recess is produced. The tube is embedded into the receptacle thus produced.

According to a second embodiment, the longitudinal guide is formed by two at least substantially parallel channels, between which the tube is at least partially supported in the longitudinal direction. The two parallel channels thus preferably form two elongate, raised portions on one side of the plate, extending approximately parallel, the tube coming to rest in the “valley” between the two raised portions. The tube thus bears against the outer face of the channel walls. The two channels are preferably parallel to one another, but may—depending on the shape and size of the tube to be fastened—form an angle of up to 10° relative to one another. In each case, the two channels are preferably straight, at least in one portion.

By means of a longitudinal guide thus produced, a tube may be positioned against the plate at a defined point. At this point said tube is preferably adhesively fastened to the at least one plate, bearing against the longitudinal guide. This may, for example, occur by means of adhesive or by other material connections such as welding, soldering, etc.

Particularly preferably, an adhesive strip is used for the adhesive fastening. In this case, it is preferably an adhesive strip made of plastics or an adhesive strip comprising an aluminum coating.

Preferably, the tube forms a protective tube for a temperature sensor. In such a protective tube, the capillary tube of a thermostatic switch is inserted, which switches the compressor of the refrigerator on and off. Alternatively, the tube may also serve to protect electrical cables or the like. Moreover, the tube itself may be a temperature sensor.

The plate preferably consists of two plate layers which bear substantially against one another, but in at least one plate layer at the point of the at least one channel, said plate layers are bulged to form the channel cavity. Preferably, the two plate layers, between which the channel pattern is formed, consist of steel or in particular an aluminum alloy. The plate according to the invention may be produced in the known manner, in particular by roll bonding.

Preferably, the evaporator is embodied as a roll-bond or Z-bond evaporator, in which in addition to the at least one refrigerant channel at least one channel is incorporated, embodied as a blind channel serving as a longitudinal guide for the tube. This has the advantage that the channel which forms the longitudinal guide for the tube may be produced in the same manner and at the same time as the channel pattern of the refrigerant channels. The word “blind channel” means that this channel and/or these channels is/are not connected to the channel pattern for the refrigerant. However, they are preferably produced in the same manner as the at least one refrigerant channel so that no additional operating step is required.

Further advantages of the invention are that the plate no longer has to be treated further after the inflation and stamping process, that the planar design of the blind channels causes less transport damage and the channel ends do not require to be sealed. The overall costs may, as a result, be considerably reduced.

The invention also relates to a refrigerator, which has an evaporator according to the invention. Particularly preferably, the refrigerator is a domestic refrigerator, in particular a fridge, a deep freezer or chest freezer.

Preferred embodiments of the invention are described hereinafter in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a partial view of an evaporator according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows a cross section according to the line A-A in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a cross section through a guide groove with a tube fastened thereto according to a further embodiment.

FIG. 1 shows an evaporator 10 consisting of a roll-bond plate 1, which is made up of two plate layers 1 a and 1 b (see FIG. 2) resting on top of one another. A refrigerant channel 4 is incorporated between the two plate layers 1 a and 1 b. In the intermediate space between two serpentine lines of the refrigerant channel 4, a receptacle for a tube 2 is formed by the recess between the two blind channels 6, 7. The two channels 6, 7 form a longitudinal guide, according to the invention, along which the tube 2 is held. A tube 2 is embedded and fixed with an adhesive strip 3 in this longitudinal guide. The strip 3 in this example is embodied as a plastics adhesive strip, and bonded to the upper plate layer 1 a.

FIG. 2 shows in an enlarged view a cross section through the fastening of the tube 3. The upper plate layer 1 a is provided with two bulged blind channels 6, 7, which in each case form a channel cavity 16, 17 between the two plate layers 1 a and 1 b. The two blind channels 6, 7 form with their intermediate space a longitudinal guide for the protective tube 2. This is fastened to the longitudinal guide by means of a strip 3.

FIG. 3 also shows a cross section through a tube 2 fastened to the plate 1, but the fastening has been carried out according to the other embodiment. In this case, the longitudinal guide is formed by a single blind channel 9, which in comparison with the tube 2 is wider than the two blind channels 6, 7. The blind channel 9 forms a channel cavity 19 between the two plate layers 1 a and 1 b. Approximately along the central line of the blind channel 9 an elongate recess or groove 12 has been stamped into the channel wall, and forms the longitudinal guide for the tube 2. Optionally, the groove 12 may also touch the lower plate layer 1 b at the lowest point.

In a subsequent manufacturing step, for example, the capillary tube of a thermostatic switch is inserted into the protective tube 2 sufficiently far that it protrudes therefrom by the distance X. As a result, it is possible to monitor visually the correct isothermal layout of the sensor which establishes the temperature of the tubing 4 and/or of the refrigerant flowing therein along said tubing, so that the compressor may be switched on or off depending on the temperature. 

1-11. (canceled)
 12. An evaporator for a refrigerator, comprising: at least one refrigerant channel; and at least one plate comprising a receptacle, arranged in a space defined by the refrigerant channel, for positioning a tube, said receptacle being formed by at least one projection to establish a longitudinal guide of the tube, said projection being formed on the plate and defining a channel having a channel wall upon which the tube bears at least partially in a longitudinal direction; said projection being formed with a recess extending in a longitudinal direction for at least partially supporting the tube in the longitudinal direction.
 13. The evaporator of claim 12, for use in a domestic refrigerator.
 14. The evaporator of claim 12, further comprising an adhesive for fastening the tube to the at least one plate, when the tube bears against the longitudinal guide.
 15. The evaporator of claim 14, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive strip made of plastics.
 16. The evaporator of claim 14, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive strip comprising an aluminum coating.
 17. The evaporator of claim 12, wherein the tube forms a protective tube for a temperature sensor.
 18. The evaporator of claim 12, wherein the tube is embedded in the longitudinal guide.
 19. The evaporator of claim 12, constructed in the form of a roll-bond or Z-bond evaporator, with the channel being a blind channel.
 20. An evaporator for a refrigerator, comprising: at least one refrigerant channel; and at least one plate comprising a receptacle, arranged in a space defined by the refrigerant channel, for positioning a tube, said receptacle being formed by at least one projection to establish a longitudinal guide of the tube, said projection being formed on the plate and defining at least two channels disposed in parallel spaced-apart relationship to define an intermediate space for at least partially supporting the tube in a longitudinal direction between the channels.
 21. The evaporator of claim 20, for use in a domestic refrigerator.
 22. The evaporator of claim 20, further comprising an adhesive for fastening the tube to the at least one plate, when the tube bears against the longitudinal guide.
 23. The evaporator of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive strip made of plastics.
 24. The evaporator of claim 22, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive strip comprising an aluminum coating.
 25. The evaporator of claim 20, wherein the tube forms a protective tube for a temperature sensor.
 26. The evaporator of claim 20, wherein the tube is embedded in the longitudinal guide.
 27. The evaporator of claim 20, constructed in the form of a roll-bond or Z-bond evaporator, with the channels being blind channels.
 28. A refrigerator, comprising an evaporator which includes at least one refrigerant channel, and at least one plate comprising a receptacle, arranged in a space defined by the refrigerant channel, for positioning a tube, said receptacle being formed by at least one projection to establish a longitudinal guide of the tube, said projection being formed on the plate and defining a channel having a channel wall upon which the tube bears at least partially in a longitudinal direction; said projection being formed with a recess extending in a longitudinal direction for at least partially supporting the tube in the longitudinal direction.
 29. The refrigerator of claim 28, constructed in the form of a domestic refrigerator.
 30. A refrigerator, comprising an evaporator which includes at least one refrigerant channel, and at least one plate comprising a receptacle, arranged in a space defined by the refrigerant channel, for positioning a tube, said receptacle being formed by at least one projection to establish a longitudinal guide of the tube, said projection being formed on the plate and defining at least two channels disposed in parallel spaced-apart relationship to define an intermediate space for at least partially supporting the tube in a longitudinal direction between the channels.
 31. The refrigerator of claim 30, constructed in the form of a domestic refrigerator. 